Think of the light!

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Do you want to feel better, sleep longer and be more alert in the office? Then get a window desk!

It’s pretty obvious that furniture and architecture affect our health and ability to perform. But did you know that an office environment which is carefully designed with respect to everything from colours to shapes and material can boost creativity by as much as 20 per cent? An undeniably thought-provoking figure and further proof of how important it is for employers to get their priorities right. Just consider how important it is to have access to sunlight. Do you feel tired and listless during the winter? You’ll definitely not feel any more alert if you sit in the depths of a gloomy office. In a large study US researcher Ivy Cheung found out that employees whose office desk is near a window sleep an average of 47 minutes longer at night than those located away from a window. They also feel less stressed and are significantly more productive. But to replace sunlight by an additional desk lamp offers no alternative from a health standpoint. Sunlight communicates with our body in a way that artificial light never can. So it’s a terrible idea to take your mobile phone with you to bed and check your emails as the last thing you do before hitting the sack. The phone’s clear blue light acts as a wake-up signal for the body.